Improvement in animal tkaps



N-FETERS, FHOTO-LfTHGGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

@pI-niiet! ttttrs dntrnt 'ittzttrrg IMPROVEMENT IN ANIMAL TRAPS.

"dit .tinhttlc ntnfnt tu in tigen rttn's gilzitnit uit mating pint in tte Sinin.

'lO ALL Wl-IOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIABI MORRIS, ot' Elkhart City, in thc county of Logon, and State of Illinois, 'have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'lraps for catching rats and other animals; :ind I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the come, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in-whieh Figure l is n perspective view.

Figure il is transverse vertical section.

Figure 3 is a top view with part of the cover represented as brohen oh.

rEhe sonic letters nre employed in all the figures in the indication of parts which are identical.

fr is a. bex having the 'front board A1 extending upwards, and opposite to it, near thc middle o. hinged cam, A?, leaving en open spncebetween them. lThe bottom ot' thisI ogen space is formed alternately by the four wings B, attached to a revolving shaft, U. The shaft is incide to revolve by the coiled spring D or any eqniirztlent4 power. To the wings ll I attach the oscille-ting platforms E, which are hinged to vibrate on their. centre, a spiral spring, El, being placed under enc end to rnise it when any weight which may have depressed the opposite end is removed. On the end of the platform to which the spring Il* is applied is hinged on the under side the horizontally oscillating latch F, the point ot' which extends beyond the wing B fitr enough to strike against and rest upon the eaten G, fastened to the side Al ot` the box. [I is a projection on the under side of the platforni E, which, when the latch drawn boel-, holds it in place against the pressure of the spring It, which presses against the opposite side und end of the latch. When the opposite end of the platform is depressed by the weight oll a rat or othc' animal resting upon it, the detent II will be raised so as to disengztge the lever, which is instantly forced by the spring I?" eli' from the catch C', and the weight of the animal and stress ot' the spring l) will cnuse the wings to turn until the one that was herizontul becomes vertical und the upper one next in succession is brought into the posit-ion previously occupied by the'fornier one, it being in like manner retained by its latch F resting upon the catch G. '.lhe rator other animal will fall with the wing on which it was strind ing into the box below the wings, whence it cannotescnpc. I is n. guide formed by a strip of nietnl in the form of n triangle, hnvilig its n'ojecting point bent, shown, which is attached underneath thc top et the hinged cover A2, and placed in such positiomthet tne point of the latches F will, with the revolution of the wings, :gueeessively strike gninst its side and edge and be thrown haelt so that the catch II shall drop behind and hohl them in position to strike against the catch G in succ ssion. By this means the action of the trop is inode automotie, and it will continue to turn, cntching rnt nl'ter rat and securing it in the box, until the spring D or other equivalent power censos to act. I prefer to :nahe the o," '-'llating platform E ot the whole length of the wings, so that all the nieehnnisin shell be out of sight. The tru L inziy beplaced in such position that the animals may be eornpellcd to traverse the spnce between the vertical wing and the side r, or n. buit may be attached to the latter. The springl) may be wound up by turning oit` the cover AL so that the Heime-plete I shall not act upon the latches F, :ind turning the wi s and shaft C in the reverse direction. In setting the trop in thcirst instance, the first and second latches should be set by hand; vthe others will be set uutoinnticnlly as they-pnss against the ila-ngc plate I.

What I cloixn ns lny invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination ot' the revolving wings l, the coiled spring D or its equivalent, the oscillating platform E, latch F, :ind catch G.

2. 'lhe combination ot' the latch l, the detent'll, and guide-plateI, substnntinlly as set forth.

The combination of the oscillntiiig platform E, the spring lll, detcnt lI, revolving wings B, latch F, :ind catch Cr, substantially as set forth In testimony whereofI have signed my naine to this speciiication in the presence et' two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM MORRIQ.

Witnesses:

D. P. I'IoLLowlr, Geo. W. Weeze. 

